COLUMBIA COUNTY, OR - On Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 9:14 p.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 30, near milepost 22, in Columbia County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Dodge Nitro, operated by Gary E Fowler (70) of Deer Island, was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck the rear of a westbound Lexus R330, operated by Angela Michelle Kornhauser (43) of St. Helens. The collision caused the Lexus to leave the roadway and roll before coming to rest on the adjacent railroad tracks.
The operator of the Lexus (Kornhauser), who was not wearing a seatbelt, was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital.
The passenger of the Lexus, Christopher Michael Casillas (37) of Everett (WA), who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected during the roll event and declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Dodge (Fowler) suffered minor injuries and was cleared medically from a local medical center. Fowler was lodged in the Columbia County jail for:
- Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
- Manslaughter I
- Assault III
- Reckless Endangering
The highway was impacted for approximately seven hours during the on-scene investigation. Speed and operator impairement are considered the primary contributors to the crash.
OSP was assisted by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Scappoose Police Department, and ODOT.
# # #
About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU)
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon's highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.
